


Fresh Out of Octo Canyon

by Octoreader



Category: Splatoon
Genre: Discrimination, F/F, i have nothing more to say, lots of head canon, octolings - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:02:42
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23351386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Octoreader/pseuds/Octoreader
Summary: An octoling named Christine escapes the hypnotized octarian army and is thrust into the confusing city of Inkopolis! After making a few friends and a lot of enemies, Christine is determined to show Inkopolis that she can be just as successful regardless of her race!
Kudos: 3





	1. Chapter 1

Well the day has finally arrived.

The sunlight was almost overwhelming on my face but I smiled knowing that it finally was time to put my past behind me.

My name is Christine. I'm an octoling and believe it or not I'm in Inkopolis! It's so exciting to me!

It was all thanks to that old man. I remember it like it was yesterday...

It was during the days of aimless wandering in Octo Canyon after I escaped the hypnotized octarian army that I stumbled upon his shack. At first site of him I panicked. I had never seen an actual inkling before and pointed my octoshot at him but to my surprise he didn't even make a move to splat me. He simply said, "Oh-ho bucko! No need for harm here! I can see your not like the other ones! Nothing to fear!"

I wasn't buying it. "Is this some kind of Inkling trick? What makes you so sure I won't splat you?" I said, not lowering my octoshot.

"Well for one, you don't have those glasses," he said as he adjusted his cap and motioned toward my head which indeed had no hypno shades. I took those things off a long time ago. "And also I see no hatred in your eyes. You're scared of me aren't you?" questioned the old man. I didn't respond. If there's one thing I knew in my life, it's not to show weakness. I simply stood unmoving with my octoshot trained on his chest.

"You don't have a place to stay do you?" said the old man ignoring my silence.

Again I did not respond. However, what he said was correct. I had no idea where to go. I looked around. Nothing but rocks for miles around.

"Listen we're civilized cephalopods aren't we? Why don't we discuss this over some Crabby Cakes?" I swear his eyes got twice as big at the mention of crabby cakes,whatever that was. I was surprised. I didn't know what to think. I lowered my octoshot.

"What's your name bucko?" asked the old man.

"Christine," I responded trying to ignore my stomach's loud growls at the thought of food.

"Well, Christine. Let's go to my cabin shall we." replied the old man as he turned to leave toward an odd looking shack not bothering to see if I was following him.

A few moments later I was stuffing my face in these crabby cake things. I hadn't eaten in a while and they were sure better than rations. After nearly gorging myself the old man asked me, "So what brings you here to this part of Octo Canyon anyway?"

My face became glum. "Well you see, almost all the octolings in Octo Canyon have been hypnotized." I responded while staring at the cabin floor. "I managed to trip and break my glasses by accident and run away but now…" I began to cry. "I don't know what to do! I can't go back or the octarians will hypnotize me again! I don't know where to go!" I turned to look at the old man and saw an expression of sheer pitty. All my suspicion of him left me. He truly felt sorry for me and wanted to help.

"I knew something was up with what Octavio was doing with the octolings. I just didn't know it was this bad." whispered the old man softly.

"The other octarians are too dimwitted. They do whatever Octavio tells them to," I replied sadly.

"Bucko, I know this is weird of me to ask but you could stay here for awhile. It's safer here." stated the old man as he gestured around the cabin.

I looked at the inkling like he was crazy. "Y-you would really do that for me." I said as more tears flowed down my cheeks. It didn't make sense. He had no reason to help me.

"Kid, I'm old enough to remember the days when our races used to be friends and I long for them back." replied the old man, "Just because your leader has decided to be enemies with my race doesn't mean I have to."

Before I knew what was happening I embraced the old man in a hug. After a few seconds I mentioned, "I never asked for your name."

"Cuttlefish. Captain Cuttlefish."


	2. Chapter 2

Well, in short, Captain Cuttlefish and I became great friends. We both were infatuated with old weapon designs used in the great turf war and we both really enjoyed crabby cakes. Besides, deep inside, we both longed for company. Cuttlefish didn't get visitors often to Octo Canyon and I hadn't seen anyone who wasn't hypnotized in cod knows how long.

Well one day over lunch, Cuttlefish asked me a question,

"Bucko, would you like to live up in the surface in the city?"

I practically jumped out of my seat, "WHHHAAAATTT?!"

"Well," the inkling explained, "it doesn't feel right to keep you down here when there is a whole world up there."

The surface. I occasionally dreamed about it. A place where you could feel the sun beat on your skin. A place you could feel the wind against your ears. A place where the only limt was the sky.

"But what would the inklings think of me? I could be splatted on the spot!"

"That shouldn't be too much of a problem. If you act like you know what you are doing, the other inklings probably won't bother you." replied Cuttlefish.

"Besides," said Cuttlefish, "there are a few octolings in Inkapolis already."

"How many?" I asked.

"Not too much." said Cuttlefish "They don't look like your typical octolings so most inklings assume there tentacles are some sort of fashion statement."

I was curious, "What do you mean? Not typical?"

"Well one of the celebrities is an elite and one of the agents is a younger octoling so their tentacles are shorter and less pronounced." said Cuttlefish as he gnawed on a crabby cake.

I was a bit scared of the prospect.

"I've always wanted to see the surface but its just so risky." I said.

"Well if things go south your always welcome her bucko!" replied Cuttlefish with a grin.

"Okay, I'll do it!" I said enthusiastically. Going to the surface was an octarians dream. I'd be a fool to squander the opportunity.

Cuttlefish stroked his beard and said, "Well let me see if I can find you some more proper clothes."

* * *

The next morning, I found myself in a yellow T-shirt and shorts that were slightly big on me along with a sack of 5000 coins in inkling currency.

"These were my clothes as a wee lad!" said Cuttlefish enthusiastically.

Cuttlefish then led me to a manhole cover.

"Now let me check if the coast is clear and you can shift into your octopus form and jump out. Whatever happens just stay calm and walk with purpose." instructed Cuttlefish.

I nodded my head. "Thank you Cuttlefish, for everything," I said as I embraced him in a hug.

"Good luck out there kid. You better jump now." said Cuttlefish as he pointed to the grate.

I took a deep breath, turned into an octopus, and jumped.

As I jumped out of the grate, I was immediately greeted to a awe inspiring site. I looked around me and found I was in the middle of a bustling square. I could feel the wind on my skin. I could see the sun. It was amazing.

It's time to start my new life.

That's what I was thinking as I took my first careful steps into the square.


	3. Chapter 3

Inkopolis was breathtaking. So much noise and bustle all in one place. So many colors… -

However, my sightseeing was interrupted when I noticed that a bunch of inklings were staring at my dumbfonded self with suspicious looks. I immediately tensed up. If I wanted to stay here I had to act like I belonged here. Then, perhaps, they would assume I was allowed here and wouldn't bother me. I mean was there really any legal standpoint to me not being allowed here? Captain Cuttlefish never told me anything about a police force or something and from what I heard it doesn't seem like inklings had anything resembling a government.

I shoved the thought out of my head and began to walk through the square and tried to ignore many of the hostile and confused expressions on the inkling's faces. I had to admire how different inklings looked from one another. All their tentacles were different colors and were styled in all sorts of shapes and styles. Plus their were males, a lot of them actually. There were hardly any in Octo Valley. The chances of an octoling being born a male were astronomical.

I began to have second thoughts about being in such a heavily populated area so I decided to walk into one of the shops dotting the square. I was taken aback of how empty it was. I didn't even see a shopkeeper. The only thing I did notice were the hats. Lots and lots and of hats. Shelves of them. I reasoned it must be a hat store.

"Hello?" I said.

No one responded. I reasoned there was no one here...or so I thought.

"Ah hello, little Octopus. I sensed your nervous aura before you even stepped in."

I gasped and found seemingly out of nowhere the shop owner was behind me! She seemed to be a sea slug of some sort with a crayfish rested on her head.

The seaslug seemed to have sensed my surprise and began to giggle. "Do not worry little octopus, you do not have anything to fear from me. My name is Flow"

"H-hello. I'm Christine." I said nervously.

"Now, little octopus, would you like to by some gear?" Flow asked.

I guess maybe I was still in shock at Flow's strange way of speaking or maybe I was just nervous but either way I responded in the dumbest possible fashion, "Uh, not really?"

Flow closed her eyes for a second as if what I said required some sort of additional processing or analysis. After a few seconds she opened them, "Little octopus, your aura is nervous. You seem to be lost and unsure."

I looked at Flow in awe. She pretty much hit the nail on the head. Was she psychic or something? Could she really sense my "aura"? I was too stunned to respond.

"Little octopus, I sense you are scared of most of the residents of the city. Your afraid they won't accept you."

What the shell?! This sea slug was reading me like a book. Her words carried wisdom though. Her voice was that of one who is trying to teach a lesson. I stood there and listened.

"I understand how you are feeling. What you need are friends and to find friends you must seek out people."

"But none of the inklings want me here!" I blurted out. I was being stupid. I was giving my feelings to a total stranger but it didn't feel that way. It felt like Flow understood what I was going through and wanted to help.

"You are only looking at the surface little octopus. You must find those who will accept you."

"And where will I find those kinds of people?" I asked wide-eyed.

Flow smiled. "Not in here little octopus." she teased. "Go and seek out those people."

Flow then went to a shelf and the crayfish on her head nabbed a small box and Flow approached me. The crayfish then extended its arms towards me, expecting me to take it.

"Please, take this. It's my gift to you." said Flow.

I opened the box. In it was a pink mesh hat that looked to be of very fine quality.

"T-this if for me?" I asked.

"Of course, but come back here when you wish to purchase gear. All right?"

"Thank you!" I exclaimed gratefully. It was incredibly kind of her to do this for me considering I essentially was loitering in her store.

Flow motioned toward the door. "Now go little octopus! Find those who will give you hope and love."

I then stepped out the door to do just that. No longer fearful but hopeful.


End file.
